I Am Hair Obsessed!

Coco Chanel said “a woman who cuts her hair is about to change her life.” Hubert de Givenchy noted that “hairstyle is the final tip off whether or not a woman really knows herself”.

All I know for sure is that my twin sister and I were obsessed with hair styles. Jill wore her hair down to her shoulders and straight and I wore either a pixie cut or a short bob. We would purchase the latest hair magazines monthly and spend hours going through them together and cutting out pictures of styles we liked and wanted to try. We kept folders of our favorites (to this day I have hundreds of haircuts saved on Pinterest).

I was the brave one; I would actually bring a picture we had saved and try new styles. Jill, by contrast, would never change her style despite good intentions and piles of photos. She was afraid; she admitted her long hair was her security blanket and felt most comfortable that way. I guess she really knew herself. She finally cut her hair short before chemo in anticipation of it falling out, which it did. She looked beautiful to me in short hair or even bald.

Why are we obsessed with our hair? Hair is a multi billion dollar industry. We spend thousands of dollars per year on hair products and treatments to look good. Your hair is a reflection of your identity, values and personality and the first thing people notice about you.

Many women feel a bad hair day equals a bad day. There is a deep personal relationship between hair and self esteem which is evidenced through history. Hair is a symbol of femininity and the term crowning glory dates back to biblical times. “ But for a woman if her hair is abundant it is a glory to her…” 1 Corinthians 11:15.

What if as we age, it is not as abundant. What then? Denise McAdam, hairstylist to celebrities such as Jane Seymour and Céline Dion and the royal family reminds us that as we get older, our hair changes significantly. As our hormones shift during and after menopause, our hair weakens and goes from 3 layers to 2. This gives it a thinner appearance and makes it more likely to split and break. This is one reason that having long hair in your 60s or 70s takes a little extra effort. You may have to make a commitment to styling and buy a few extra products for volume.

Should we be wearing long hair at this age anyway? According to Allure Magazine, the archaic misconception that women can only wear a certain haircut at a suitable age is dead and gone. Despite what we were conditioned to believe, one’s ability to own a specific cut or style has absolutely nothing to do with age. There are other factors involved such as hair type, texture and face shape.

Have you been wearing the same style for ages? Are you ready to rock a new hairdo? I don’t know if it will change your life, but a new hairdo can accentuate features that you want people to focus on like high cheekbones, pretty eyes and full lips.

Try the following ideas:

1. Cut bangs: bangs are the most flattering on every face shape as long as they are done right. Fringe is ageless. The right bangs will open up your eyes, frame your cheekbones and make you look more refreshed (you thought I was going to say younger). Plus it’s a lot cheaper than Botox to hide pesky forehead lines. Ask your stylist for soft layered bangs more wispy than blunt.
2. Enhance body: flat straight hair will drag you down. Let your stylist open up your shape with layers to add swing and softness. Use products that add moisture and volume and reduce frizz.
3. Try a bob: the bob is classic for a reason; it works on everyone because there are so many variations. It doesn’t matter if you have fine hair (like me) or thick hair and it can be customized to your face shape (mine is an inverted bob which is shorter in the back and longer on the sides, flattering for a square face).
4. The lob is a longer version (long bob) and looks amazing on all ages, with lots of texture for older women.
5. A cropped cut or pixie is a haircut that says strength, confidence and fun and can work at any age or hair texture. Think Jamie Lee Curtis and Dame Judy Dench. (Remember Twiggy and Mia Farrow and Audrey Hepburn). Keep it soft and feminine and not too harsh or spiky.
6. The shag is the ultimate cool girl cut because it looks great on a wide range of people. Your stylist can play around with layers and modify it for your face shape. Think Jane Fonda (the original shag in the movie Klute) and Lisa Rinna. I wore a long shag at my wedding in 1971. I loved that cut!
7. Remember, hair is the accessory that we have with us everyday and we love the boost of confidence that comes with a great hair day! There is no age attached to hair length but it is a good idea to keep it at a length that makes sense maintenance wise for your lifestyle. If you live at the beach like my friend Debby, keep it long enough to put up in a scrunchie!

If you are ready to rock a new style and live in the area, I highly recommend Lisa at Sivana Salon in St. James. She is the best!

Update on my Intermittent Fasting Blog. I lost 5 lbs in 4 weeks and am feeling fine! More next week. XO Penny

Resources

Look Younger Fast, prevention.com

Is Your Hair Aging You, by Liza Graves, styleprint.com

Haircuts for Over Sixty by Denise McAdam and Margaret Manning, sixtyandme.com